Electrical connecter



- June 7,1927. 1,631,914

M. U. CAILLAU ELECTRICAL CONNECTER Filed Sept. 26. 1924 M. U; Gunilla Patented June 7, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARCEL UBBAIN CAILLAU, F IBILLANCOURT, FRANCE.

ELECTRICAL CONNEGTER.

Application filed September 26, 1924, Serial No. 740,075, and in France September 27, 1923.

' for instance as the terminals of spark plugs used on internal combustion engines, wire- .less tele'graphic or telephonic devices or other terminals comprising a stem adapted for being embraced by the tongs of the connecter.

' The primary object ofthe invention is to provide a connecter of the class' specified constituted by a minimum number of parts,

simple in construction and operation, readi-- 1y mountable on and dismountable from the end of the lead-wire, easy to manufacture,

of low cost and of great strength, durability and efliciency in use.

With the foregoing object in view and such others as will appear hereinafter, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will now be described in detail withreference to the accompanying sheet of drawing exemplifying sam' In the drawing Figure 1 is an elevational view partly sectioned .of the improved connecter in operating position. i

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view thereof.

Figure 3 is an edge view of the two flexible blades constituting the connecter pro er.

Figure 4 illustrates the connector in a alf retracted position.

Figure 5 is an elevational view illustratin the application of the connecter to the spar plug of an internal combustion engine.

Like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views.

According to the invention, the connecter comprises a pair of equally sized flat companion blades'a constituted by a flexible metal and suitably cut out at their outer ends according to an arcuate convex shape to form coperating claws, as illustrated; these blades are arranged with their inner or shank portions in juxtaposed or overlapping relation; moreover they are elbowed or cranked outwardly substantially midway of their length at b, as shown, and united at their inner ends by a riveted metallic eyelet a supporting them swinginglyu Through said 'nist action of the's ring their inner edges, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 also for a purpose which will appear hereinafter. The shank or inner portion of each blade is enlarged at its free end'to provide one or two side shoulders or lugs d.

The shanks of the two juxtaposed blades are enclosed in a sheath or casing e preferably cylindrical made of an insulating material, the length of which is preferably equal to the one of the said blades. This sheath e has its upper opening, that is the opening through which the claws are adapted to emerge, made circular as shown at f and this opening is provided of a cross-sec tional size somewhat smaller than the bore. of the said sheath to constitute an inner shoulder h. Between said shoulder 12 and the lugsd formed on the inner ends of the blades is confined a spiral spring 9 coiled around the shanks of said blades and holding them together yieldingly.

- t will be understood that, when once the outer ends or claws a of the two companion blades have been, thanks to their flexibility and their elbowed shape as at I), brought to the expanded position illustrated in Fig.

1, owing to the inward push exerted by the shaped space in which may be securely iinrisoned the contact terminal withv which it is desired to establish the connection, such for example as the stem of a spark plug or a nut screwed upon the said stem (see Fig. 5). In view of the above arrangement, it will be readily appreciated that the antagoexercising itself permanently, all ris of t e thus connected terminal disconnecting itselfaccidentally, that is through hooking ofl of the claws of the connecter is precluded. Thus a Very efiicient connection not liable to be disturbed by vibrations even in the long run (this being of great value particularly on motor cars) is providedinasmuch as-the greater the traction on the conducting wire it and consequently on the claws a, is, the more securely they are held closed around the ter minal whichthey connect. i

The setting of this improved connecter will be apparent from the foregoing description :-When it is desired to set the connecter in place for the purpose of ellecting a connection between a conducting wire (such as the secondary wire supplying current from a magneto) and a spark plug for ex ample, all that is necessary is to pull with either hand the sheath 6 inward, i. e. in the direction of the wire A whilst simultaneously holding said wire with the other hand in the neighbourhood of said sheath. Such traction compresses thespiral spring g between the lugs 61 and the shoulder h and allows the claws a to move apart and to become opened, whereby they may be pushed against the metal stem of the spark plug or against the nut screwed upon said stem (see Fig. 5). By then relaxing the sheath 6, the ac- .tion of the spring g pushes it onward and closes the claws a as hereinbefore described. From this moment, a secure connection is established between the wire A an l s park plug (or other terminal) and the improved connecter will in no event disconnect itself. If now it'is desired to ."eparate the connecter from the terminal, it is merely necessary to pull the sheatll e inwardly whilst holding the adjacent portion of the wire A. The clawsa ii'nn'iediately open, thus freeing said terminal and allowing same to be disengaged.

It will be appreciated that the invention provides -a connecter of most simple construction, low cost of manufacture and of great efliciency in that it is actually constituted by three parts only which can be machined very easily in large series and comprises no screw-threaded portions whatsoever, this lessening the cost to a large extent.

While I have described the preferred construction of connecter embodying, my invention and the operation ofsame, I am aware that certain slight changes of construction or certain omissions of .parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. An electrical connecter comprising a.

hold the blades together inwardly of their gripping sections and of a length to extend beyond the point of pivotal connection of the blades, and a spiral sprin yieldingly encircling both blades and held between the blade shoulders at one end and the inner end wall of the sheath at the other, said spring acting to normally maintain the relative positions of the blades and sheath so as to cause the gripping sections to be firmly held together by the edge of the opening in the sheath.

2. A connecter of the type described in cludingan insulating sheath having a headed endand formed in said end with an opening of less diameter than the interior of the sheath, and a connecter member coinprising two blades elbowed midway of their length, shouldered at their inner end and arranged in superimposed relationwith a pivot at said shouldered end, the opposite end of the blades being of arcnate form to provide gripping sections, the blades being arranged in the sheath with the gripping sections disposed immediately beyond the opening in the head of the sheath, a spring yieldingly encircling the blades within the sheath and bearing between the shouldered ends of the blades and the head. of the MARCEL URBAIN CAILLAU. 

